This invention relates to a strip-like hinge assembly of indeterminate length made of flat material, such as sheet metal and formed of a plurality of hinges. The hinges which are thus connected to form a longitudinal series, each have two hinge plates pivotally coupled to one another at their abutting edges by means of a hinge pin. Further, each hinge plate has components, by means of which the hinge is forcibly introduced into and frictionally held in parts which are to be pivotally attached to one another by the hinge assembly strip.
Hinge assemblies of the above-outlined type serve, for example, for the pivotal attachment of a lid to a container made of wood, cardboard or synthetic material. One of the hinge plates is secured to the lid while the other is secured to a marginal zone of a container side. For this purpose, as noted above, the hinge plates have components which are driven into the lid and the container and which are frictionally held therein. The hinges may be individually mounted. For increasing the efficiency of the hinge mounting operation, it is known to combine the hinges into a strip-like series of indeterminate length. The hinge assembly strip may be stored and shipped in reels and unwound for mounting, in determined lengths, on the parts that are to be hinged together. The assembly strip is, by means of a tool, fed intermittently to an impacting machine in which the hinge assembly strip is cut into the desired length which is then simultaneously secured to the lid and the container. The components which hold the hinges on the respective pivotal parts may be drive-in points (particularly if the pivotal parts are wood or cardboard) or clamps (jaws) for insertion into slots of the pivotal parts (particularly if the parts are made of synthetic material).
The known hinge assembly strips have been formed heretofore of hinge plates which extend in only one plane. The drive-in points or similar components are arranged in that plane and are angularly bent at the outer longitudinal edges.